Δευτέρα, 25 Ιανουαρίου 2016

MESSENGER - Starwolf - Part II: Novastorm review

MESSENGER
I think is a living proof of what determination and love for metal music can
make you achieve. They started back in 1990 with a different sound (more hard
rock based), but after a couple of releases they moved to the fields of
heavy/power metal. For many years they moved on the underground but they have
managed to ink a contract with a label that has a long history in the metal
scene. The most important thing though with MESSENGER is that they evolve their
sound in each album they release without losing their heavy/power metal
identity.

THE COVER: From
their previous album the band has adopted a space pirate metal style. It is
really a cool topic and every boy’s fantasy (at least for the science fiction
fans). So on the cover you can see a black pirate space ship leaving destroyed behind
it another one that looks like a cruiser. It is a nice cover that fits
perfectly to the whole concept.

MUSICAL STYLE: I
think that when we talk about pirate metal (no matter if it is in space or not)
our mind goes to the creators of this sound who are no other than RUNNING WILD.
Well, my friends, you won’t be disappointed here because MESSENGER pay their
tribute to this huge band through their music without copying them though. In
general MESSENGER is a band that holds high appreciation for the German heavy
power metal sound and in this album you can find even references to such groups
like HELLOWEEN, GAMMA RAY and even HAMMERFALL. The impressive thing that makes
them stand out from many other bands of the same style is that MESSENGER add to
their songs some symphonic themes that give to them an epic – cinematographic
feeling.

CONCLUSION: Once
again MESSENGER manage to create an album that is fresh and will surely be
appreciated by the fans of heavy/power metal. They somehow managed to rearrange
the clichés of this genre and make an album that at least is interesting.